Jersey

Jersey is the largest and southernmost of the Channel Islands. It's a self-governing dependency of the British Crown, but not part of the United Kingdom. It lies 14 miles (23 km) west of the Cherbourg peninsula of France in the Bay of St Malo, rather than in the Channel proper.

With a resident population of around 103,000 (2021), Jersey extends some 9 miles east-west and 5 miles north-south. St Helier on the south coast is the capital, with a third of the population - it's the port, the transport hub, and has accommodation, shops, entertainment and visitor attractions such as Elizabeth Castle.

A broad bay sweeps west from town to St Brelade, which includes the charming village of St Aubin and the popular beaches on its south coast. To the east of the town are the parishes of Grouville and St Clement, which also have sandy beaches, as well as the small village of Gorey, overlooked by Mont Orgeuil Castle. The rest of Jersey is gently rolling country, a quiltwork of small fields with small, straggling villages named for their parish church: St Peter (location of the airport), St Lawrence, St Ouen, St Mary, Trinity, St John and St Martin.

Understand

The Bailiwick of Jersey is the name of the political entity, and Jersey is the only inhabited island. Outlying islets such as Les Minquiers are being eroded and were once much larger. There are many legends of Lyonnesse and lands lost under the sea that hereabouts may have some basis in fact, with other examples around Guernsey, and in the Isles of Scilly across the Channel.

The Channel Islands' odd status arose because in 1066 William Duke of Normandy gained the crown of England, so he and his descendants ruled many parts of France and all of England. A series of wars, and peace treaties followed by more wars, wrested continental territory away from England to the growing kingdom of France, until all that remained were these islands. And so they remain today. The Bailiwick of Jersey, like that of Guernsey, is therefore a Crown Dependency. They have the same monarch as the United Kingdom but are not subject to the UK parliament or legislation or - crucially - taxation in any way. They cede their defence and most international affairs to the UK, but were never part of the European Union.

The defence role in practice meant the British using the Channel Islands to exert their sea power, preferably to the detriment of the French. One 17th century governor, Sir George Carteret, did the King a few favours and was rewarded with lands in America which he named New Jersey. The islands were fortified against invasion during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars but there was little fighting here. And when France was overrun during the Second World War, the British left the islands to German occupation rather than fight a doomed rearguard action. The Germans likewise fortified and tunnelled against a counter-attack that never came. So Jersey has many bastions and bunkers that were never bombarded and are thus in good condition, and interesting places to visit.

Post-war Jersey returned to its staple occupation, agriculture: the Jersey cow remained highly productive, but was no longer a standard component of dowries. Tourism grew on a small scale and never became a mass-market. The big growth factor was Jersey's low tax, which made it an attractive domicile for international companies and for the very wealthy (very wealthy - a mere millionaire doesn't cut it here.) A quarter of the workforce are engaged in the legal and financial sectors, and the mild climate suits prosperous but ageing bones.

Since Jersey is a mainly summer tourist destination, some attractions and hotels are closed in winter.

Talk

Jersey was heavily anglicised in the 19th and 20th centuries so English is universal. You'll see French signage, but if it looks mis-spelled, it's actually the local language of Jèrriais. This is still spoken by a dwindling minority, as a badge of identity rather than practical communication. The problem is that each parish developed its own dialect, so they could barely understand each other or the parent tongue of Normandy French. Jèrriais is taught in schools but this is a modern standardised version, so it feels like a foreign invention not the way grand-methe used to talk.

Get in

As of Oct 2022, there are no COVID19-related restrictions on entry.

By plane

Jersey's own airline Blue Islands has direct flights from Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, East Midlands, Exeter, Norwich and Southampton, and connections from several other cities. There are several flights daily from Guernsey and a day trip is possible.

Easyjet flies to Jersey from Belfast International, Glasgow, Liverpool, London Gatwick and Manchester. Jersey also has direct flights from London Heathrow, Leeds Bradford (Jet2), Dublin (Aer Lingus), Dusseldorf (Eurowings) and Munich (Lufthansa). Air links from France are poor, for instance nothing direct from Paris, you have to double back via a UK mainland airport.

Jersey Airport (IATA: JER) 📍 is in the parish of St Peter; it's small but modern. There's no currency exchange as most travellers arrive with UK sterling valid on the island, look for a downtown bank or ATM if you need more. There is car hire from Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt and Budget - their desks are in Departures. The deal with fuel is that you'll use very little, so never refill the tank, just return the vehicle and they'll charge whatever you used. The airside departure area has a remarkable entity, a duty-free shop offering genuine bargains. In Sept 2022 a litre of spirits was £11, against a UK supermarket price of £15.

Bus 15 runs from the airport to St Aubin and St Helier every 15 min (20 min at weekends), taking 30 min. Others are Bus 9 from Greve de Lecq and St Ouen, and Bus 22 from L'Etacq, Corbiere and Red Houses. All journeys cost the standard flat fare, see below.

By boat

Flag of Jersey Condor Ferries sail to Jersey from Poole (4½ hr) and Portsmouth (10 hours) in England, St Malo (90 min) in France and from Guernsey (1 hour). All these ferries are year-round and take vehicles, with daily sailings in summer, but the fast-cat from Poole is more likely to be cancelled in bad weather. Day-trips are possible to and from Guernsey and St Malo.

Manche Iles sail to Jersey from Granville (90 min), Barneville-Carteret (1 hour) and Diélette in Normandy. These are for foot-passengers only and are scheduled for day-trips from Normandy, with one outward sailing in the morning and one return late afternoon. They likewise have day-trips from Jersey to Sark, and between Jersey and Guernsey either way.

Port Elizabeth 📍 in St Helier is the usual landing point, but some of the Manche Iles ferries sail to Gorey on the east coast. You can sail your own boat to one of several marinas, see Jersey Ports for facilities, rules, tariffs and helpful info.

Get around

Jersey as a whole is not an urban place, and getting around is not as easy as a traveller from a big city might expect:

Although Jersey sports a comprehensive bus network, peripheral routes operate infrequently (sometimes not more than once an hour) and the service can end as early as 5:30 PM on some routes. If you intend to use buses as your primary transport, you need to plan your visit around the bus timetables. Otherwise, you may spend a lot of time waiting or worse — get stranded in the countryside.
There are no ride-hailing apps on the island, and taxis generally don't just drive around idly, so if you need a taxi, you will have to call them. It's a good idea to write down the phone numbers of taxi companies beforehand.
Walking can be challenging if you are not used to long hikes in the countryside: the terrain is hilly, footpaths are lacking outside of large settlements, and although Jersey is fairly compact, it's not compact enough for casual walking. For example, the popular railway walk from St. Aubin to La Corbière and back is 13.5 km.

If you have extensive plans around the island, consider hiring an e-bike or a car, especially if your accommodation is not in St. Helier.

Places are referred to locally by parish, the boundaries of which are ancient and idiosyncratic. References to highway numbers such as A12 (for the airport) are met by eye-rolling and "Oh, you mean Route de Beaumont . . . ". But the numbers are how they are indicated on road signage and online, so don't be fazed. You were already marked as an outsider by the big red "H" on your hired car number plate.

By bus

Liberation Station 📍 (+44 1534 828555) is the hub for all public buses, operated by LibertyBus on behalf of the Government of Jersey. There's a small cafe, info office, and rental automat for Brompton folding bikes. These are the only bikes that may be carried on the buses, as they fold up into the size of a lunch box. The busiest routes, west to St Aubin and the airport, start from the street outside, as they use double-deckers which can't fit the low garage. The other routes use single-decker Optare "kneelers".

Timings below are for the main routes (as of 2022) M-Sa 08:30-17:30. They're less frequent at other times, and minor routes stop running by 18:00.

East to Gorey: Bus 1 runs every 20 min along the coast via Havre le Pas and Le Hocq. 1a hourly is via Samarès Manor and 2 hourly is via Longueville.
Northeast towards St Martin's and the zoo are Bus 3 hourly, 13 via La Hogue Bie and Gorey, and 23 via Trinity. Bus 21 also runs to Trinity and La Hougue Bie but not the zoo.
North are 4 (circular) via Trinity and Bouley Bay, 5 via Sion to St John's, and 7 hourly via St Lawrence (glass church) and Hamptonne museum to St John's.
Northwest: Bus 8 runs every two hours via the war tunnels, St Ouen and Grosnez to Portinfer, and see Bus 9 below. Bus 28 runs to the war tunnels Apr-Oct.
West the principal route is Bus 15, every 15 min to St Aubin, Red Houses and the airport, taking 30 min. Others head west hourly then fan out, so cumulatively there's a bus every 5-10 min along the coast. These are Bus 9 to the airport, St Ouen and Greve de Lecq, 12a to St Aubin, St Brelade, Red Houses and Corbiere, 14 to St Aubin and St Brelade, and 22 to the airport, Red Houses, Corbiere and L'Etaq.
Circular town routes are Bus 19 to the hospital and north edge, and 16 to the southeast edge.

Bus tickets can be purchased on the bus by using a Jersey AvanchiCard (a smart card like the Oyster card), contactless credit or debit cards, or using cash. A single bus ticket can be used on two connecting journeys (a through-ticket), for instance from St Aubin via St Helier to Gorey. A transfer is valid for one hour.

The standard fare for an adult as of Aug 2022 is £2.50 cash, £2.10 contactless and £1.85 by AvanchiCard. Children of 5-16 pay half the adult fare and under 5s ride free.

Discover Jersey tickets are valid for 1, 2, 3 or 7 days unlimited travel by bus, but you need to make two separate return trips per day to break even. Fare concessions are available for some younger or older people, but UK Concessionary Passes are not valid in Jersey.

By road

If you intend to bring your own vehicle, check your insurance, as some UK & EU motor policies don't cover the Channel Islands. For rental, Hertz, Avis and Europcar are based at the airport, while Zebra Cars and Sovereign are downtown in St Helier. They'll usually require you to be aged 21 or over, and to hold a valid driving licence with no endorsements for dangerous or drunken driving in the last 5 years.

Drive on the left, and most driving conventions and signage are the same as the UK - however there is a Jersey Highway Code that modifies the UK one. Roads are in good condition but even A-roads are often narrow and twisty.

The maximum speed limit on any Jersey road is 40 miles per hour (64 km/h), and many are 30 mph. There are many green lanes, with a speed limit of 15 mph, and you must give way to horse-riders, cyclists and pedestrians. Not that you can get past them anyway, let alone an oncoming vehicle: the lanes are often canyons between high hedges and farmstead walls, so only horse-riders get much of a view.

A yellow line across the road means give way to other traffic. If in doubt, treat these as a full "Stop", as the sight lines emerging from minor roads are poor, even if a mirror has been placed. Even if you're on the priority road, be inclined to stop to let traffic emerge safely.

Yellow lines along the curb mean that parking and loading is prohibited at all times, including for Blue Badge holders.

At a "filter in turn", whoever first arrives at the junction can proceed, then traffic should take it in turns to pass the junction. Take your time, take it slow, and make sure to stay aware of other drivers. At the west end of Victoria Avenue, drivers should use both lanes, and zipper-merge and filter in turn.

Parking in St Helier, St Aubin, Gorey and the beaches is often tricky. Especially for St Helier, always consider taking the bus instead - you might have to wait a bit and have a slower journey, but it beats hunting for a parking spot then continually checking your watch for time up. In St Helier and other busy places you must pay to park M-Sa between 08:00 and 17:00. Simplest way to do so is by the PayByPhone app, which you can download to your phone. Otherwise you can call the paybyphone number or use a Paycard bought from local convenience stores. In 2022 all car parks charge 90p per hour, but vary in how long you can stay - see the government parking page for locations, charges and restrictions.

Other spaces around the island are Disc spaces. You need to buy a Jersey yellow parking disc from Town Hall on York Street or from the Sand Street car park kiosk. They cost £2 and mean you can park free within the designated limit, displaying your time of arrival. You can also display a paycard in a disc space.

Blue badge holders may not park on yellow lines as in the UK. Instead you must find a disabled parking bay; these are free, but you must display your time of arrival.

Taxi ranks are at the airport, outside the arrivals hall at the port, and in the main streets of St Helier. Operators include Liberty (+44 1534 767700), Domino (+44 1534 747047), Yellow Cabs (+44 1534 888888) and Citicabs (+44 1534 499999).

By bike

Jersey has a good tourist-focused national cycle network formed of 12 signposted routes. Most of the routes follow green and quiet lanes and off-road shared use paths, however some routes do have sections on main roads, which on the densely populated island can be quite traffic heavy at times. Often the signage is unclear and requires those on bikes to dismount to use pedestrian crossings on push their bike along the pavement. The island's green lane network (see 'By road') offers cycle-priority tarmacked lanes across the island, with motor traffic restricted to 15 miles per hour.

Route 1 encircles the island, including the segregated cycle track along St Aubin's Bay and the shared use paths between Grouville and Gorey Pier. Another great route is Route 4 and 4a which link to the Northern parishes along the beautiful St Peter's Valley and along the green lanes in St Lawrence respectively.

The Jersey tourism website cycling page links to more resources.

Bike hire

The Jersey tourism guide lists companies that hire cycles. Some close in winter.

One company hiring bikes is Evie. They have an app-operated electric bike rental scheme throughout the Channel Islands. Bikes can be found around the island and are 'dockless', meaning they can be left anywhere, though leaving them outside a designated 'docking point' may incur an extra fee. It can sometimes be difficult to get a bike outside of St Helier, but fairly easy within the town. For charges and more information see their website.

LibertyBus have a joint bike-hire scheme with Brompton Bikes where folding bikes can be rented from Liberation Station.

Jersey Bike Hire is based in St Brelade; April-Oct it's open daily.

By foot

Pavements are quite common in St Helier, and in larger settlements. However they may be hard to come by on the rest of the island. Walking around most of the island therefore can be difficult as it may involve walking on roads: great care needs to be taken to identify yourself to passing vehicles. There are good combined footpath and cycle pathways between St Helier and St Aubin, which are suitable for those who are differently abled. The rest of the walking routes around Jersey, especially outside the south of the island, might involve hiking and muddy paths so appropriate clothing and footwear needs to be used. If you are planning hikes you should also plan around bus timetables as needed to other parts of the island from St Helier.

See

Consider buying a Jersey Heritage Pass for the main attractions. In 2022 this costs £36.75 adult, £33.25 senior, £24.40 child or student. It's valid for four sites over 7 days, so effectively it saves the fourth entry fee. In St Helier it covers Elizabeth Castle (including castle ferry), the Maritime Museum and the Jersey Museum & Art Gallery; elsewhere it covers La Hougue Bie, Mont Orgueil Castle and Hamptonne Country Life Museum. It does not include the War Tunnels, or any other attraction not run by Jersey Heritage.

St Helier

Town is mostly modern. It's named for the 6th century Helier of Tongeren (now in Belgium), who moved west seeking ever more remote abodes till he fetched up here. The waterfront is a busy thoroughfare. A few blocks further inland is a warren of small streets, pedestrianised or traffic-restricted; these are pleasant enough but you could be anywhere on the English south coast.
Elizabeth Castle, St Aubin's Bay JE2 3NU, 49.175°, -2.125°, +44 1534 723971. Apr-Oct daily 10:00-17:30. Castle on a tidal islet, built from the 16th century when the stronghold at Mont Orgueil became vulnerable to improving cannon power. It was built over a confiscated abbey, and saw action during the English Civil Wars, and the Seven Years War with France. A barracks was also built, but the site made them sitting ducks so the garrison was moved to Jersey main island. South side of the islet is the 12th-century hermitage built where, according to legend, Saint Helier himself lived. At low tide you walk to the castle across a causeway, at high tide you take the "ferry", which is a pair of amphibious vehicles - see website for tide times. The kiosk for ferry tickets is on the slipway directly opposite the Grand Jersey Hotel - don't follow signs for "Port Elizabeth Ferry Terminal" which is for the big ferries to the mainland. Assistance dogs only. Adult £13.25, child or student £8.60, senior £11.90, + £3 ferry; Jersey Heritage Pass includes ferry 2022-07-18
Maritime Museum, New North Quay, St Helier JE2 3ND, 49.1818°, -2.11°, +44 1534 811043. Apr-Oct daily 10:00-17:00, Nov-Mar Su 10:00-16:00. Great hands-on exposition of Jersey's colourful maritime history, which involved lots of pirates, privateers and other salty rapscallions. Includes the Occupation Tapestry Gallery commemorating wartime events. Adult £11, child or student £7.15, senior £9.90, Jersey Heritage Pass valid 2022-07-18
Jersey Museum & Art Gallery, The Weighbridge, St Helier JE2 3NG, 49.1826°, -2.1073°, +44 1534 633300. Apr-Oct daily 10:00-17:00, Nov-Mar daily 10:00-16:00. Interesting displays of Jersey life, from Ice Age hairy mammoths, farming and wildlife, Victoriana, the actress Lillie Langtry (1853-1929), and the Nazi occupation. Plus small art gallery. Adult £11, child or student £7.15, senior £9.90, Jersey Heritage Pass valid 2022-07-18
Samarès Manor Botanic Gardens, Grande Route de St Clement JE2 6QW (Bus 1a), 49.1739°, -2.0777°, +44 1534 879551. Apr-Oct daily 09:30-17:00. The manor is medieval with Tudorbethan additions, now converted to self-catering flats. Samarès means salt marshes, and these were reclaimed in the 1920s to create the present gardens. Adult £9.75, senior £8.75, student £5.50 2022-07-18
Government House 📍 in Saint Saviour is the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey. Normally vistors are only permitted by official invitation (no, your Heritage Pass doesn't count), but they have very occasional open days.
Ville-ès-Nouaux 📍 is a burial gallery and a dolmen set in a stone circle, from about 2500 BC. Its pottery was in the "Beaker" style of 2000 BC, widely found across Europe. Archaeologists blow hot and cold over whether this was made by a distinct "Beaker People", or was simply a popular style. The site is next to St Andrews Church and free.
St Matthews half a mile further west is known as the "glass church". It was built in 1840 and renovated in 1934 with glass decor by René Lalique, characteristically cloudy and uncoloured. The church is on the edge of Coronation Park and open Su-F 09:00-17:00.

St Brelade and St Aubin

St Aubin is a pleasant fishing village at the west end of the bay, with a number of restaurants and cafés. The parish hall was a busy railway station until the line closed in 1936. Access from town via Bus 12a, 14 and 15 or along A2 Victoria Avenue.
St Aubin's Fort 📍 stands on a tidal islet; it was built from the 16th century and periodically reinforced, including during the wartime occupation. It's reached by a causeway at low tide and is free to enter.
Le Portelet is the headland separating St Aubin's bay from St Brélade's bay to the west. It's dotted with bastions and lookouts: the eastern part along Chemin de Noirmont has a couple of German positions and ends at "Tour de Vinde," a daymark for navigators. On the western headland is Ouaisne Tower (again, primarily a daymark) and the Common, best area for strolling and dog-walking. Between is a small beach.
Portelet Tower or Janvrin's Tomb 📍, on the tidal L'Île au Guerdain just off Portelet beach, is a stubby affair built in 1808 that never grew up into a Martello tower. The nickname is from poor Philippe Janvrin, who in 1721 died of plague on his way home to Jersey; the authorities wouldn't let his body come ashore and had him buried here. A later John Janvrin from Jersey became a leading figure in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and gave his name to Janvrin Island there.
St Brelade and Red Houses inland and ribbon-developing towards the airport is the only settlement beyond St Helier that could be called a town. St Brelade's parish church was first recorded in 1035 AD. For some reason it was built near the coast a little way from town: the local legend invokes a species of leprechaun-realtors, obviously busy little folk since many mainland churches have a similar legend.
Fishermen's Chapel 📍 next to St Brelade's parish church has remarkable frescoes and is a rare example of a monastic chapel that survived the destructive zeal of the Reformation. It was built 11th / 12th century and expanded in the 14th into a chantry, where monks recited prayers for the dead. So its name of Chapelle-ès-Pêcheurs (for fishermen) would previously have been Pécheurs (for sinners), but from the 15th century it was indeed a chapel for the fishing guild. It's still in occasional use.
La Corbière 📍 is the headland at the southwest tip of Jersey. The name means a gathering of crows, though the gulls have seen them off. You can walk here either along the track of the old railway (see "Do"), or along a clifftop path past a modern prison, wartime bunker, and desalination plant. The gaunt concrete wartime Radio Tower is now self-catering accommodation. The Strongpoint is a wartime bunker and artillery position, erratically open as a museum, and there's a memorial to a successful rescue from a shipwreck in 1995. At low tide you can continue across the causeway to the lighthouse on an islet.
Table des Marthes is a large stone slab 200 m east of La Corbière car park, probably the capstone of a dolmen that's now lost. The name means "Table of Witnesses" because documents were traditionally signed upon it.
La Sergenté is a circular passage tomb 500 m northeast of La Corbière car park. Its beehive vault was a Neolithic engineering challenge - and one they failed, as it soon collapsed, and its design was not repeated.
Reg's Garden 📍 is one man's creation, inland off Route des Genets, St Brelade. Daily 10:00-17:00, donation.

Elsewhere

La Hougue Bie, Grouville JE3 9HQ (Bus 13, 21), 49.201°, -2.064°, +44 1534 853823. Apr-Oct daily 10:00-17:00. An eclectic mix of structures, with the kernel of it a Neolithic passage grave, in use circa 3500 BC. The passage is 18.6 m long, astronomically aligned so that equinox sunrises penetrate the deepest chamber (a common Neolithic design, though their alignment is usually solstice). "Hougue" means heap and, not to let a good heap go to waste, 12th and 16th century chapels were built side by side on top. A neo-Gothic luxury residence was added over the chapels in 1792, justified as a "signalling tower". In the 19th century a hotel was built at the compound gates. "Tower" and hotel were removed in 1924. During the WWII German occupation a bunker was built adjacent, now an exhibition of slave labour under Operation Todt. There's also a modern replica of a Neolithic longhouse. Adult £10.30, child £6.70, senior £9.25, family £30.60, Jersey Heritage Pass valid 2022-09-23
Jersey Zoo, Les Augrès Manor, La Profonde Rue, Trinity, JE3 5BP (Bus 3, 13, 23), 49.2295°, -2.0734°. Daily Apr-Sep 09:30-18:00, Oct-Mar 09:30-17:00. Founded by pioneering conservationist and writer Gerald Durrell, and still owned by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Features endangered species from around the world - highlights include bats, gorillas, and free-ranging monkeys. You can day-trip, or stay in the glamping pods for a safari camp experience. Gets rave reviews. Adult £18, child (3-16) £14 2022-07-17
Eric Young Orchid Foundation, La Rue du Moulin de Ponterrin, Victoria Village JE3 5HH (Bus 21), 49.2163°, -2.0843°, +44 1534 861963. Feb-Nov W-Sa 10:00-16:00. Beautiful display of orchids, though it could do with more explanatory material. Small area so an hour here will be plenty. Adult £6.50, senior £6, child £2 2022-07-18
Pallot Steam, Motor & General Museum, Rue de Bechet, Trinity JE3 5BE (Bus 4, 23), 49.225°, -2.1061°, +44 1534 865307. Apr-Sep: Tu F 10:00-17:00. Small but eclectic collection of artefacts, ranging from steam trains to church organs. Has a demonstration track for steam trains, but it is not operational as the track is being repaired. Adult £8, senior £7, child £3 2022-07-18
Mont Orgueil (Gorey Castle, lé Vièr Châté), Gorey JE3 6ET (Bus 1, 1a, 2, 13), 49.1994°, -2.0194°, +44 1534 853292. Mar-Oct daily 10:00-18:00, Nov Dec F-M 10:00-16:00. Impressive castle built over many centuries, with the oldest parts dating back to 1204 and the newest parts dating to the German Occupation. While the advent of gunpowder and artillery meant the newer Elizabeth Castle became the main bastion, it remained in use serving various functions until the 19th century. It first opened as a museum in 1929, with the last major renovation occuring in 2006. The vast majority of the castle is accessible to the public, including winding staircases, a confusing network of rooms containing historical displays and art installations, and great views across Grouville Bay. Adult £13.95, child £9.05, senior £12.55, family £41.40, Jersey Heritage Pass valid 2022-07-17
La Pouquelaye de Faldouet is a Neolithic passage grave 5 m long. It's 500 m northwest of Mont Orgueil.
The Sand Wizard, St Catherine's JE2 6DD (Bus 2), 49.224°, -2.021°. Daily 10:00-17:00. Small but impressive display of sand sculptures made by Simon Smith (b 1960). If only he'd been commissioned for Jersey's other bastions . Free 2022-07-18
Le Couperon dolmen 📍 is the cap and support stones of a Neolithic burial chamber, circa 3000 BC; the mound over them has eroded away. The guardhouse next to it was built in 1689 for an artillery position.
Jersey War Tunnels (Hohlgangsanlage 8), Les Charrieres Malorey, St Lawrence JE3 1FU (Bus 8, 28), 49.2103°, -2.1543°, +44 1534 860808. Mar-Oct daily 10:00-17:00. A network of tunnels built during the German occupation by forced labour, to enable the occupiers to withstand Allied bombardment. In 1943 they were converted into a hospital for the anticipated casualties, with 500 beds and an operating theatre. They were never used for either purpose, as there was no fighting here and the occupying forces surrendered along with Germany. Adult £16, senior or student £15, child £10 2022-07-18
Hamptonne Country Life Museum, Rue de la Patente, St Lawrence JE3 1HS (Bus 7), 49.2245°, -2.136°, +44 1534 863955. Apr-Oct daily 10:00-17:00. Demonstrating country life in buildings of different eras: the Langlois (beasts downstairs, farm folk upstairs) from early 17th century, Hamptonne the family mansion is earlier, and Syvrets (now a cider press) is 19th. Plus outbuildings, barns, orchard and vegetable patches. Assistance dogs only. Adult £10.30, child or student £6.70, senior £9.25, Jersey Heritage Pass valid 2022-09-14
Channel Islands Military Museum 📍 is in a wartime bunker on the west coast. It's open daily 10:00-17:00.
The North Coast of Jersey has some beautiful bays with excellent beaches. Most are fully serviced, with lifeguards, WCs, cafes, car parks, bus routes and so on. The best are at Plémont, Grève de Lecq and Rozel.
Dolmen du Monts Grantez 📍 in St Ouen near the west coast is a Neolithic passage grave. The skeletons of seven adults and one child were found within.
Grosnez Castle 📍 is the ruin of a 14th century redoubt at the northwest tip of Jersey. It was a refuge rather than a fort, and lacked a water supply. Much of its masonry was removed in the 1480s to repair the Manor in St Ouen.
La Hougue des Géonnais 1 km east of Grosnez is a passage grave, large but damaged by modern quarrying. It's difficult to see how it was ever covered over, and this has led to the suggestion that it was an open charnel pit, with the dead exposed.
Le Pinacle 📍 is a natural rock formation on the northwest coast. It has a series of ancient remains at its foot, including a Stone / Bronze Age mine for axe heads. Take great care on the path down or you'll join these extinct civilisations.

Outer islands

You might visit these on a boat trip.

Les Minquiers 📍 ("the Minkies") are 9 miles south and at low tide have a larger surface area than Jersey itself. At high tide only a few islets remain, the largest being Maîtresse, all of 50 yards (45 m) long. It has ten dilapidated cottages and no residents, though fisherman, sailors and others land in summer. Les Minquiers are the most southerly point of the British Isles. A group of Wehrmacht soldiers here were among the last to surrender at the end of World War II, three weeks after Germany capitulated. Everyone had forgotten about them.
Les Écréhous 📍 are a group of islands and rocks six miles north-east of Jersey. Only three keep their heads above water at high tide, the largest, Maîtr'Île being 300 yards (270 m) long. There are fishermen's huts but the islands are uninhabited and have no fresh water.

Do

What's on? Read Jersey Evening Post or listen to BBC Radio Jersey on 88.8 FM.
Check the tides a few days in advance for those attractions reached by tidal causeway, since low tide comes 45-60 min later each day. Elizabeth Castle website (above) posts crossing times that will be close enough for the others. Otherwise check Easytide (free) with the reference port as St Helier.
Jersey Opera House, 3 Gloucester St, St Helier JE2 3QR, 49.1866°, -2.1129°. This theatre and opera house remains closed for reconstruction. 88.8 FM. 2022-07-18
Cinema: Cineworld on the Waterfront shows mainstream releases.
Jersey Bowl, Rue des Landes JE3 7PB (next to the airport), +44 1534 490444. M-F 16:00-22:30, Sa Su 12:00-22:30. Jersey's only bowling lanes, open all year, but many complaints about the poor maintenance of lanes and pin machines. Facilities include a restaurant, bar, pool tables, and car parking. One game £5, two £7, three £9 2022-07-18
aMaizin!, La Hougue Farm, St Peter JE3 7AX, 49.2226°, -2.1920°, +44 1534 482116. Apr-Sep: daily 10:00-17:30, Oct-Feb: Tu-Su 10:00-17:30. Children's adventure park. Entry fee includes park activities, aMaizin Maze (July-Aug) and the aMaizin Barnyard. Tractor rides, go-karts, water pistol range, crazy golf course, animal encounters, and so on. Allow most of a day to use all the facilities, and bring and a towel and change of clothes for the water activities. Adult or child £13.50 2022-07-18
Walk the Jersey Railway which plied between St Helier and St Aubin from 1870, later extending to Corbiere and the quarries at La Moye. It was busy with passengers and freight well into the 20th century when road transport undercut it. In 1936 a fire at the St Helier depot destroyed the station and most of the rolling stock, and that was effectively the end of it, though the line briefly re-opened in wartime by the German occupiers for military construction freight. At the St Helier end it's now simply a walkway and cycleway along the promenade. In St Aubin the former station is now the village hall. From St Aubin to Corbiere the route is now a popular shaded walk and cycle path.
Golf: courses are St Clements just east of St Helier, Royal Jersey at Gorey, and Les Mielles and La Moye both on the west coast.
Jersey Coastal Path runs around the entire coast. Although sections are on roadway or pavement, particularly the East, and South coasts as far as St Aubin, the north coast from L'Etacq to Rozel Bay is superb and in conjunction with the bus services can be done in sections. This path is not suitable for mountain bikes, use the dedicated mountain bike trails running parallel.
Rugby: Jersey Reds play in National League One, England's second tier for amateur rugby union. Their home ground is in St Peter.
Football: Jersey is affiliated to the English soccer system. Their leading club Jersey Bulls plays way down in the English regional amateur leagues, with their home ground at Springfield Stadium (capacity 2000) in St Helier. The national team play occasional games there, such as the Muratti Vase versus Guernsey and Alderney, but UEFA have rebuffed their bid to join European tournaments.
Trace your Jersey ancestors starting online with the Jersey Heritage catalogue.
Work or study: see Channel Islands#Work as the two Bailiwicks have similar regulations.

Events

Jersey Boat Show is held in May in St Helier, with displays of sailing and power boats. Dates for 2023 are tba.
Jersey Battle of Flowers is a street carnival held in St Helier on the second Th-F in August.
Weekender is a rock festival at the Royal Jersey Showground, Trinity in late August. The next is probably 1-3 Sept 2023, tbc.
Jersey Regatta' is based at St Helier marina, with the next 8-10 Sept 2023.
Jersey Air Display is held in Sept, with the main viewing area along the Esplanade. The main coast road A2 is closed while it's on, and flights at the airport are disrupted. The next is on Th 14 Sept 2023.
Jersey Festival of Words is a 5 day literary event, multiple venues. The next is probably 20-24 Sept 2023, tbc.
Triathlon is held in September in St Helier: swim, bike and run. Dates for 2023 are tba.

Buy

Money: The Jersey pound is on parity with the British pound sterling. Notes from Guernsey, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man are also accepted in Jersey. But Jersey pounds are not accepted in the UK, so change them for UK pounds before leaving the islands, although they can be paid in over the counter at British banks. ATMs may offer a choice of sterling or local pounds.
St Helier has the best selection of stores:

Co-op Grand Marché (their largest type of store) is on A7 La Rue le Masurier, the St Helier Ring Road, open M-Sa 07:30-21:00, Su 10:00-16:00. Free parking, but UK Co-op membership doesn't extend to Jeresey.

Town also has several Co-op Locale, and Alliance (which is Tesco). -Waitrose is on A8 Trinity Hill, north of town, with another branch at Rue des Prés in St Saviour east side of town. They're both open M-Sa 08:00-21:00 and UK myWaitrose cards are accepted.

Elsewhere: Waitrose has another outlet on A13 La Route Orange, near Red Houses junction.

Eat

Occasional themed food weeks celebrate the different cuisines of Jersey. Tennerfest in Oct / Nov is a promotion where you can sample top-rated restaurants for a fixed price.